Abraham Lincoln and Constitutional Government

forest near a sparkling river, uncontaminated by the overgrowth of humanity. Thus young Lincoln was chosen from the western wilds of America.

"And the Lord said unto Samuel,

Fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Beth-le-hemite, for I have provided me a king among his sons." (And Jesse sent and brought to him David, the shepherd boy.) "Now he was ruddy and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the Lord said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he." When the boundless prairies, the primeval forests, and the rushing rivers of the unsubdued West and South had done their work in building up physically this future president and emancipator, when his vigorous and clear intellect was ready to fulfill its purpose, he strode bravely into the camp of modern enterprise and civilization, and in a short time became its leading spirit.

Those who considered themselves qualified to hold the place of superiority above the masses, and regarded themselves as patricians, on account of their birth or their wealth, found in the case of this man of humble origin, that he was their superior, notwithstanding his lack of advantages and social position in early life. They would have barred him out of their clubs, their exclusive circles, the halls of congress and the state legislature, on account of his want of so-called gentle breeding, but the people, the voters, for whom he acted, soon placed him in the front ranks.

The aristocracy of nature is superior to the aristocracy of wealth or imperial grandeur. The phrase, "all men are created equal", which is inserted in the Declaration of Independence, has been and is a source of annoyance to many in this country who would be aristocrats, and especially to those residing in the slave states at that time. The wealthy citizens of New York, Baltimore, Charleston, Richmond, and Boston, at the time of Lincoln, did not consider him their social equal when they first met him; but when they heard his eloquence, became acquainted with his character, and knew of his achievements, they realized that he was a man of great ability and destined to fill an important place in his country's history. Originally starting with great natural gifts, in their development, he was surpassed by few men of his time.

There ever seems to be in this world a continual controversy over the equality, or inequality, of mankind, but a truly noble nature, reared apart from the corrupting and enervating influences of civilization, is often found superior to the child of fortune, educated amid the luxury of culture and refinement. Abraham Lincoln was the personification of the ideal of personal liberty,

and the equality of all men in the sphere of political rights, under the constitution of the United States. No law existed then, or exists today, to prevent the election of the people's choice to any of the different legislative branches of government, or even to the presidential chair.

In one of Lincoln's addresses to one of the regiments, August 22, 1864, he said, "I happen, temporarily, to occupy this White House. I am a living witness that any one of your children may look to come here, as my father's child has. It is in order that each one of you may have, through this free government which we have enjoyed, an open field and a fair chance for your industry, enterprise, and intelligence; that you may all have equal privileges in the race of life, with all its desirable human aspirations. It is for this the struggle should be maintained, that we may not lose our birthright-not only for one, but for two or three years. The nation is worth fighting for, to secure such an inestimable jewel."

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